Tropism

Quick meaning: Tropism is a noun meaning (countable, figurative) Of a person: an instinctive predilection or tendency; also (generally), a liking, a preference.

Meaning

(countable, figurative) Of a person: an instinctive predilection or tendency; also (generally), a liking, a preference.

More Meanings

1. (uncountable, biology) The turning of an organism (chiefly a plant) or part of an organism either towards or away from a stimulus; (countable) an instance of this.
2. (countable, by extension, chiefly virology) A capability or tendency for a pathogen (chiefly a virus) to infect a type of cell, tissue, organ, or host organism.

Example Sentences

host tropism tissue tropism

HBLV [human B-cell lymphotropic virus] has a broad range of cell tropisms, and it infects B cells, T cells, megakaryocytes, and glioblastoma cells.

Tropism means that the roots or branches move by turning towards or turning away from environmental stimuli. We have implemented this behavior in the roots of the plantoid [i.e., a robot or synthetic organism designed to act like a plant], integrating sensors and using an adaptive material for growing.

Orientation and tropism are synonymous expressions; that gatherings [of Paramecium] take place is a consequence of the orientation, and therefore throws no light whatever upon the tropisms. (Gatherings, however, are not always indicative of a tropism, i.e., of an orientation, but may be due to kinesis […]

Word Forms

• tropisms

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include phototropism, trophotropism, haptotropism, heliotropism, thigmatropism, thermotropism.

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